Missiles and Missile Defense Systems

News about Missiles and Missile Defense Systems, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times.

Chronology of Coverage

Feb. 9, 2015

South Korea reports the North Korea has fired five short-range missiles off its coast. MORE

Feb. 8, 2015

North Korea reports that it has successfully launched new antiship missile. MORE

Jan. 9, 2015

Report by Joseph S Bermudez Jr, arms expert with research group 38north, suggests that North Korea is working to develop ability to launch missiles from submarines; says satellite images show North Korean submarine with possible launching tubes. MORE

Dec. 30, 2014

Japan and South Korea announce they will share military intelligence about North Korean missile and nuclear weapons programs, along with United States; defense analysts say pact is small but symbolic agreement bringing together estranged Asian allies. MORE

Nov. 12, 2014

Some scientists say arms makers have crossed into troubling territory by developing weapons, like guided missiles, that rely on artificial intelligence, not human instruction, to decide what to target and whom to kill; as these weapons become smarter and nimbler, critics fear they will become increasingly difficult for humans to control, or to defend against. MORE

Oct. 27, 2014

String of successful attacks on Iraqi helicopters is strongest evidence yet that Islamic State militants are using advanced surface-to-air missile systems; weapons pose a serious threat to aircraft flown by Iraq and the American-led coalition, and could affect how counteroffensive is conducted; proliferation of weapons has also heightened concerns about the vulnerability of Iraq's airports. MORE

Oct. 25, 2014

Gen Curtis M Scaparrotti, top American military commander in South Korea, says he believes North Korea has most likely completed its years-long quest to shrink a nuclear weapon to a size that could fit atop a ballistic missile; his assessment, if correct, could change American calculations about the vulnerability of the United States and its allies, and the North’s ability to sell nuclear weapons to others. MORE

Sep. 9, 2014

Obama administration is sending team of senior officials to Moscow to try to resolve American allegations that Russia violated landmark nuclear accord; at heart of dispute is allegation that Russia tested ground-launched cruise missile in violation of 1987 Soviet-American treaty banning intermediate-range missiles based on land. MORE

Sep. 6, 2014

South Korean military says North Korea launched three short-range projectiles off its east coast, apparent test of newly developed tactical missile. MORE

Aug. 23, 2014

Satellite images indicate that North Korea is likely to have ability to launch longer-range rocket that can carry heavier payload by end of the year. MORE

Aug. 16, 2014

North Korea denies that rockets it launched were meant to coincide with start of Pope Francis's five-day visit to South Korea. MORE

Jul. 31, 2014

Russia denies accusations by United States that it violated significant arms control treaty by testing cruise missiles. MORE

Jul. 30, 2014

US-Korea Institute, part of the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, reports that North Korea has nearly completed construction of an improved site for firing long-range missiles; is latest indication North Korea is moving toward another launching. MORE

Jul. 29, 2014

Senior American officials say United States has concluded that Russia violated landmark nuclear arms control treaty by testing prohibited ground-launched cruise missile; allegation by Obama administration adds another dispute to relationship already burdened by tensions over Kremlin's support for separatists in Ukraine. MORE

Jul. 27, 2014

Question of what kind of intelligence support to give Ukrainian government is part of larger debate within the Obama administration about how directly to confront Russian Pres Vladimir V Putin; at core of debate is whether American goal should be to shore up Ukrainian government or to send message to Putin by aggressively helping Ukraine target missiles Russia has provided to separatists. MORE

Jul. 26, 2014

Syrian rebels are designing rechargeable batteries for shoulder-fired antiaircraft missiles, development that could make them more lethal against Syrian warplanes; such batteries also carry potential risks for civilian aircraft. MORE

Jul. 22, 2014

Piece of wreckage from Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 bears telltale marks of small pieces of high-velocity shrapnel that apparently crippled jet in flight; wreckage suggests that destruction of aircraft was caused by supersonic missile that apparently exploded near the jet as it flew. MORE

Jul. 19, 2014

Russian-backed rebels in Ukraine deny involvement in downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, sharp departure from their gloating over series of increasingly sophisticated attacks on military aircraft in region; attacks included destruction of AN-26 military plane at 21,000 feet, and separatists had boasted of obtaining Russian 'Buk' antiaircraft system in period before civilian plane went down. MORE

Jul. 18, 2014

Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 explodes and crashes in a field in area of eastern Ukraine controlled by pro-Russia separatists; Ukrainian and American officials say plane was brought down by Russian-made antiaircraft missile; Ukraine accuses separatists of what is describes as a terrorist attack; all 298 people on board the plane are killed. MORE

Jul. 18, 2014

Spotlight is focused on Moscow following crash of civilian jetliner Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in Ukraine; Russia has denied equipping separatists in Ukraine with men or weapons but crash raises new questions about the involvement of Russian security services; only someone with military training would have been able to operate technically complicated air defense system need to fire missile to such height. MORE

Jul. 18, 2014

Crash of civilian jetliner in Ukrainian war zone inflames already volatile international crisis and could bolster Pres Obama's efforts to isolate Russia if investigators can confirm suspicions that jet was brought down by missile fired by pro-Russian rebels. MORE

Jul. 10, 2014

Israelis consider their Iron Dome antimissile system a battlefield-altering success, destroying range of rockets fired from Gaza by Hamas and Islamic Jihad; Israeli military officials say intent is to degrade the capacity and will of Hamas and its allies to continue firing rockets, and to diminish their stockpile. MORE

Jun. 30, 2014

North Korea says it plans to indict and try Americans Matthew Miller and Jeffrey Edward Fowle on charges of committing 'hostile acts' against country; statement comes one day after North Korea fired two ballistic missiles off its east coast, flouting United Nations ban on country's testing of such missiles. MORE

Jun. 27, 2014

North Korea fires three short-range projectiles off its east coast, day after it warned of retaliation against release of American comedy film The Interview, which involves plot to kill its leader, Kim Jong-un. MORE

Jun. 15, 2014

Separatists in Ukraine shoot down Ukrainian military jet near the Russian border, killing all 49 people on board; anti-aircraft missile attack is the deadliest episode for the Ukrainian military since unrest in the country's east began. MORE

May. 2, 2014

New commercial satellite imagery shows that North Korea is expanding its main rocket-launching site and testing engines of what is believed to be its first road-mobile intercontinental ballistic missile. MORE

Apr. 5, 2014

South Korea conducts its own missile test amid rising military threats from North Korea, successfully launching newly developed ballistic missile capable of striking most of the North. MORE

Mar. 31, 2014

North Korea threatens to carry out a 'new form' of nuclear test, one year after its third nuclear test raised military tensions on Korean Peninsula and prompted United Nations to tighten sanctions; North does not specify what it means by 'new form,' but some speculate that it plans to make nuclear devices small enough to be carried on ballistic missiles. MORE

Mar. 28, 2014

United Nations Security Council unanimously condemns North Korea for launching two midrange missiles, saying launch violates council resolutions; China joins council in criticizing launch. MORE

Mar. 28, 2014

Air Force says it has fired nine officers and accepted resignation of Col Robert Stanley, commander at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana, as it continues to deal with widespread cheating scandal among men and women entrusted with launching of intercontinental ballistic missiles; crew members are accused of sharing answers on missile proficiency tests. MORE

Mar. 26, 2014

North Korea demonstrates its ballistic missile capabilities by launching two midrange missiles; launch, country's first tests of midrange projectiles in nearly five years, comes as leaders of United States, Japan and South Korea gather in Netherlands to discuss North's nuclear threats. MORE

Mar. 22, 2014

North Korea test-fires 30 short-range rockets off its east coast, latest in series of military actions condemned by South Korea. MORE

Mar. 12, 2014

Inspections and seizures of banned cargo show that North Korea is using increasingly deceptive techniques to circumvent international sanctions; illegal arms trade has allowed North Korea to continue nuclear and ballistic missile programs that sanctions were intended to curb. MORE

Feb. 28, 2014

North Korea launches four short-range missiles off its eastern coast in what apears to be show of force while South Korea and United States are conducting their annual joint military exercises; also, South Korean Baptist missionary Kim Jong-uk appears at government-arranged news conference in Pyongyang and says he plotted to build underground churches to undermine government. MORE

Feb. 7, 2014

Researchers report that satellite images show North Korea has expanded its main satellite launch site, apparently to accommodate larger rockets being developed for intercontinental ballistic missile program. MORE

Jan. 27, 2014

Islamist militants shoot down Egyptian military helicopter in Sinai Peninsula with surface to air missile, raising new alarms about terrorist insurgency that developed there in response to 2013 military takeover; attack validates fears that such weapons would spill into Egypt after Libyan civil war. MORE

Jan. 3, 2014

Israeli national security analyst Ronen Bergman says Hezbollah has been moving long-range missiles to Lebanon from where it had stored them inside Syria, including those that can strike deep within Israel. MORE

Dec. 17, 2013

Russian Defense Ministry says it has deployed short-range ballistic missiles in the country's west, move that it contends does not violate international treaties; deployment could conceivably allow Russia to carry out a precise strike on some NATO countries. MORE

Oct. 30, 2013

Report issued by the US-Korea Institute says that commercial satellite imagery suggests that North Korea is upgrading its main launch facility with the possible intention of handling both larger and more mobile missiles. MORE

Oct. 21, 2013

Turkey's decision to purchase long-range missile defense system from little-known Chinese company stuns military-industrial establishment; underscores aggressive push by Chinese companies to compete in world of high-tech armament, especially in developing world; China is now producing wide range of weaponry, from fighter jets to drones, and is increasingly able to undercut competitor prices. MORE

Aug. 23, 2013

Four rockets are fired toward northern Israel from southern Lebanon for first time in nearly two years, raising tensions in region against the background of the conflict in Syria; Israeli warplanes hit site south of Beirut in response to attack. MORE

Aug. 14, 2013

Israeli Interior Ministry publishes final approval of nearly 900 new apartments in contested part of Jerusalem, new affront to Palestinians on eve of resumed peace talks; separately, Israeli military says it has intercepted rocket fired from Egypt. MORE

Aug. 9, 2013

London-based weapons research publication IHS Jane's reports that Iran has built previously undisclosed launching site and space center near northeastern city of Shahrud that could be used for testing ballistic missiles. MORE

Aug. 3, 2013

Letter from Vice Admiral James D Syring, director of the Missile Defense Agency, responds to July 25 editorial criticizing missile defense system. MORE

Aug. 1, 2013

American intelligence analysts concluded recent Israeli airstrike on warehouse in Syria did not succeed in destroying all of the Russian-made antiship cruise missiles that were its target; Israeli officials have said they do not intend to enter the civil war in Syria, but are prepared to prevent sophisticated weapons from falling into the hands of Hezbollah. MORE

Jul. 25, 2013

Editorial questions whether United States will ever have effective ground-based missile defense system, in light of failure of yet another test; contends it does not make sense for Pentagon to continue throwing money at flawed system without correcting its problems first. MORE

Jul. 24, 2013

Washington-based researchers say satellite images show that North Korea has halted work at complex believed to be have been intended to allow it to launch bigger and longer-range rockets; reasons for interruption, first noticed at end of 2012, are being debated. MORE

Jul. 14, 2013

American officials say that Israel carried out airstrike in Syria that targeted advanced antiship cruise missiles sold to the Syrian government by Russia. MORE

Jul. 6, 2013

Pentagon says test launching of advanced missile-defense interceptor failed to hit its target over Pacific Ocean, four months after Obama administration announced that it would spend $1 billion to increase missile defense in response to verbal threats from North Korea; skeptics see failure as additional evidence that the technology is unreliable and not worth the expense. MORE

Jun. 4, 2013

Editorial criticizes proposed East Coast missile defense site that would eventually cost some $3.6 billion; says it is premature and could actually harm America's national security by denying resources to other more urgently needed and more effective defense programs; holds current West Coast site has number of serious flaws that need to be addressed first. MORE